There's something very welcoming about Rumer's
music. She sounds so familiar. Artists like Dusty
Springfield, Karen Carpenter and Linda Ronstadt come
to mind (early 70's Ronstadt that is) when I try to
describe her sound. However, unlike other current
bands who merely create facsimiles of the musical
past in order to attract record buyers, Rumer is
authentic and fresh. It's a vintage sound, and
while that term has been ridiculously abused, the
classification fits. Thankfully, she manages to
show respect for the past, but she does not depend
entirely upon it for her musical inspiration. She
sings everything like she owns it, and even the
mellowest (inventing words as I go here) grooves
have depth and soul. The Hi-Fi community loves a
great female vocal, and Rumer could break up the
monotony of the usual suspects we've been playing
for years (such as Diana Krall, Patricia Barber, and
more recently Norah Jones, to name a few). Now,
honestly I like those singers, but hearing the same
things over and over again at shows, well, you end
up burnt out on those voices. Rumer is a light at
the end of this tunnel of sameness.

Her music does not sound forced or intentionally
aimed at nostalgia-seeking shoppers. There's just
something inherently soulful about her music, and to
be honest, it's really that simple. Now, that may
sound like a cop-out, but I've been enjoying this
record for months now. I've been listening to
Seasons of My Soul literally every morning since
I got a copy from Atlantic, and I haven't grown sick
of it in the slightest. That has to be one of the
best compliments I can pay Rumer. When was the last
time you bought an album and you felt the same way
about it weeks after you got it as you did the first
time you heard it. The last release that hit me
like that was James Blake's first full-length LP. Good music should be timeless. While Seasons of
my Soul conjures up images of the classic
artists mentioned above, Rumer has also figured out
a way to sound fresh and new. I think the Hi-Fi
community, and the world for that matter, have
gained a splendid new artist that has the potential
to bridge generation gaps with her music. I bet my
father would like it (he's in his sixties) and my
nephew Nicholas (twenty-seven) is already a fan.
It's difficult to pinpoint why I love this album.
Its familiarity is comforting, but it's not nearly
as sleepy as some of the current audiophile
favorites.

Obviously Seasons of My Soul is no rock
record. She doesn't try to grab your attention with
power chords and reverberating drum solos. The
album's laid-back attitude is what gets you. And
after a long day of work, we could use the break. The character of her voice is very soothing (and not
in a cheesy, smooth jazz kind of way). I'm not
trying to wax poetic here, but this album sounds
like something you would play while spending time
with your closest friends on a sunny, yet rainy
afternoon in the upper west side of Manhattan (or a
beautiful spot in any major city when the water
beats against the concrete jungle, washing away its
sins and the past). It sounds cozy and warm; the
melodies are velvety and the vibe is relaxed. It's
vintage without trying so hard to be so. Pulling
this off and sounding sincere is tricky. Rumer
sounds like she's right at home. This is perfect
date music, great for dinner with friends, or (as
stated above) rainy afternoons with the significant
other. Fans of Dusty and Ronstadt should feel an
instant connection to Rumer, and it's been years
since we've seen somebody like her. It's fitting
that she's singed to Atlantic Records. While the
days of Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler have passed,
Craig Kallman and Julie Greenwald (Chairman and
Chairwoman of Atlantic) are holding it down over
there through smart A&Ring and a varied roster. They've got a lot of potential with Rumer. She's a
breath of fresh air amongst a slew of commercial dubstep and watered down lolly-pop like Justin
Bieber. I sincerely hope she finds a large
audience. She deserves it. If classic soul grabs
you, check out Seasons of My Soul.